A Single Point of Failure?

Not too many years ago, a now-famous YouTube personality was on the show “Alone” in which 10 contestants were separated geographically on Vancouver Island, BC.  Their challenge? To survive longer than the other contestants with no other human contacts or outside help with minimal gear.  You would only know if you won when the show’s producers finally showed up and let you know that you survived the longest.  The prize was success, notoriety and a half a million dollars!

On the second day of his odyssey, he lost his Ferrocerium Rod (his one and only fire starter) in the black sand on the beach.  He had laid his black Ferro rod on his black jacket after getting his first fire started and when he pick up the jacket to put it back on, he flung the fire starter somewhere.  He searched for it all that day. On the third day, he pulled the plug and tapped out.

In his video where he explains what happened found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy5GcbM8A6M, he makes this statement “Sure, I could have dipped it in paint, florescent paint, something like that, but who in the world thinks you’re going to lose your firesteel?”  And ” I had every intention of putting a lanyard on when I got there, I was going to cut a piece of the 20 meters of paracord that I had, (all they were allowed to bring) make a lanyard, tie it to my belt and be good.” It should also be noted that where they were located is a rain forest and so making a friction fire was out of the question.

When you’re in a survival situation, all it takes is a single point of failure to not make it. In retrospect, Joe has thought of many ways that he could have secured his one and only fire starter so he wouldn’t have lost it.  And many others have now learned from his mistake and put a brightly colored lanyard on their firesteel, or wrapped a portion of it with reflective tape or painted it a florescent color.  Fortunately, he was able to call out on the supplied satellite phone and be rescued.  In a real survival situation, you won’t have that luxury. (If you have a working phone you just wait to be rescued)

The bottom line is, when you are in the outdoors, all it takes is a single point of failure and you’re done!  If you lose your only firesteel, your only knife, etc.  it may cost you your life or the life of someone you love that is counting on you and your skills. So when you are camping or bushcrafting or practicing your survival skills, always secure your firestarter and your knife as well as any other critical gear that you might need.

Spiritually speaking, when we fail to pray or read our Bible or be in tune with the Holy Spirit, we can experience a disaster.  All it takes is a single point of failure to do something that we are supposed to do and the Devil, our adversary is all over us!  Where are you today in your spiritual walk? Are you being faithful to God, your calling and your conscience? Satan knows when we are weak and will attack us when we are least ready. We must get up every day and make sure that we have done all that we are required to do.  The failure is always on our part, we cannot and must not blame God.  The good news is that Jesus promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us.  Joe might have lost his firesteel and felt like a failure on the show “Alone”.  But the truth is, if God is with you, you are never alone!  So get up, get out there and live for Jesus.  If you do experience failure in any spiritual thing, remember that none of us are perfect and that God is a God of second chances.  You don’t have to tap out and be done! You can do this! There is new and sufficient grace for every day and every trial.  Let God turn your single point of failure into a lesson of forgiveness and success that redounds to His Glory!

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James B